In a wireless network with routing capable and non-routing capable nodes, it is possible that non-routing capable nodes will prevent additional nodes from joining the network. More particularly, since nodes within an ad-hoc communication system may have a maximum number of connections to other nodes, if non-routing nodes join the network before the routing nodes, then the maximum number of nodes capable of joining the network may be limited. This is illustrated in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1 network 100 has formed with two non-routing nodes 102 connected to routing node 101. As is evident, if all routing capable nodes can only support 2 associated nodes and two non-routing capable nodes join first to the root node, then this network can only support a maximum of 3 nodes. On the other hand, if two routing capable nodes join the root node then this network can support at least 7 nodes (FIG. 2). Therefore a need exists for a method and apparatus for forming a network that prevents non-routing nodes from limiting the number of nodes that can join a network.